Machine for doubling metal plates



No. 6|l,539. Patented Sept. 27, I898.

r. WESTWOUD. MACHINE FOR DOUBLING METAL PLATES.

(Application filed Mar. 29, 1898.)

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No. 6ll,539. Paten ted Sept. 27, I898.

. F. WESTWOUD.

MACHINE FOB DOUBLING METAL PLATES.

3 Sheets-Sheet 2- a/MAW- No. 6|l,539. Patented Sept. 27, I898. F. WESTWOUD.

MACHINE FOR DOUBLING METAL PLATE S (Application filed Mar. 29, was. I

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STATES FELIX WVESTl/VOOD, OF VVHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA.

MACHINE FOR DOUBLING METAL PLATES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 61 1,539, dated September 27, 1898.

Application filed March 29, 1898.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FELIX WESTWOOD, a citizen of the United States,residing at Wheeling, in the county of Ohio and State of WVest Virginia, have invented new anduseful Im-- provements in Machines for Doubling Metal Plates, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improved machine for doubling metal plates, and has for its object to provide a machine for'this purpose which shall operate in a simple, positive, and accurate manner to fold or double the metalplates and subsequently deliver the folded plate at a point convenient to the operator.

Further objects of the invention relate to details of construction and operation of parts of the machine, all of which will be more readily understood from the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is an end elevation of a platedoubling machine constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2is an elevation looking at the rear of the machine. Fig. 3 is a detail vertical sectional view. Fig. t is a detail plan View of the parts shown in Fig. 3. Figs. 5 and 6 are detail views hereinafter explained.

The numeral 1 indicates the main supporting-table, upon which the plates tobe doubled are placed. This table comprises side members 2 3 and end.me1nbers 4 5, secured together in the ordinary or any preferred manner. This table is supported on legs 6, which are suitably flanged or otherwise formed at the bottom to permit the table to be firmly secured to the mill-floor.

The numeral 7 indicates an upright which supports the greater portion of the machinery for operating the creasingknife and other parts of the device, as hereinafter described. This upright therefore is of great strength and is firmly bolted to the mill-floor. J ournaled in thisupright near its upper end is a shaft 8, which projects outward on either side of said upright. On the end of shaft 8 projecting at the front of the machine is secured a pulley 9, driven by a belt 10. The pulley 0 is the main driving-pulley of the machine.

Serial no. 675,622. (No model.)

' In lieu of the construction just described I may employ a separate belt-pulley for the belt 10 and provide suitable clutch mechanism between this pulley and the driving-pulley 9; but as such features of construction are within the knowledge of all skilled mechanics I have not deemed it necessary to f urther illustrate this portion of the machine.

Secured on the pulley 9 is a bearing-block 11, which is provided with a dovetailed guidegroove 12, in which is slidably secured a cross-head 13. Said cross-head does not re. ciprocate in said guide-groove in the operation of the machine, but is only designed to be adjustable therein, being secured in its adjusted position by means of a screw-bolt 14 or similar device. Said cross-head 13 carries a crank-pin 15.

The numeral 16 indicates a connecting-rod having at its upper end a longitudinal slot' 17, in which is located the crank-pin 15. The purpose of having a slotted connection between the connecting-rod 16 and the crankpin will presently appear.

The numeral 18 indicates a shaft one end of which is journaled in the lower portion of the upright 7 and has secured near its end a pinion 19,which works in a slot 20 formed in the lower part of the upright 7. Secured on the face of the upright 7 are two guide-blocks 21 22,which near their outer edges are correspondingly grooved, as indicated at 23 24, to form a guide or working way for the flanged edges of a rack-bar 25, the teeth on which project between the inner sides of the guide-blocks 21 22 and engage the teeth of the pinion 19. At its upper end said rack-bar is pivotally con nected, as indicated at 26, to the lower end of the connecting-rod 16.

On the opposite squared end of the shaft 8, at the rear of the machine, is secured a small drive-wheel 27, having a crank-pin 28,

on which is pivotally secured the upper end of a connecting-rod 29, the lower end of which is adjustably secured, as by a screw-bolt 30, in a longitudinally-disposed slot 31 of a leverarm 32, which is fulcrume'd intermediate its ends, as at 33, onthe upright 7. Said leverarm has a rearward extension 34 for a pur pose to be presently described. At its opposite end said lever-arm is provided with a lon gitudinally-disposed slot 35.

The reference-numeral 36 indicates the creasing-blade, the body of which is preferably formed of iron, the lower portion affording a knife-edge, being preferably made of steel. Secured on the creasing-blade centrally of its width and at a suitable height thereon is a stud 37, having journaled thereon a roller 38, which is designed to work in the slot 35 of'lever-arm 32. A suitable nut and Washer 39 confines the slotted end of said lever-arm on the stud 37.

The numerals 40 41 indicate two parallel uprights, which are provided on their inner opposite sides with grooves 42, affording guideways for the creasing-blade 36. Said uprights 4O 41 are firmly secured in crossbeams 43, which in turn are firmly secured at their end portions to the upright 7. One of said uprights, 41, is extended down through and secured in the side frame 2 of the table 1. The opposite upright 40 is cut away, as shown at 44, to permit the sheets to be folded to be placed on the table. The inner side of the frame 3 of the table is provided with a groove for the creasing-blade, which forms a continuation of the groove in the upright 40.

The shaft 18 extends through and is journaled in the frame-pieces 2 and 3 of the table 1. The numeral 45 indicates a tilting platform, which is secured at its upper end on shaft 18, by which its free end is moved upward and downward in the operation of the machine,to be presently described. Said platform comprises the side members 46 47, connected and braced by the cross-stays 48. Extending between and journaled in the side members 46 47 are rollers 49, forming the upper bearing-surface of said platform and upon which the doubled plate is designed to rest, as will presently appear. At its free end said platform is provided with a projecting plate 50, which extends entirely across said platform and is inclined upward toward the upper end thereof.

The numerals 51 52 indicate the doublingrollers, which are located centrally of the length of table 1' and are respectively journaled at their ends in slide-blocks 53, which work in grooves 54, formed by securing supplemental frame-pieces on the inner sides of the side bars 2 3. At the opposite end to that in which the rollers 51 52 are journaled the slide-blocks 53 are respectively engaged by one end of a coiled spring 56, which springs are located in the grooves 54 and at their opposite ends bear against a stationary portion of the framing of the table. The coiled springs 56 tend normally to press the slide-blocks 53, carrying the rollers 51 52, toward each other. J ournaled in the frame-pieces 55 on either side of the doubling-rollers 51 52, respectively, are two surface-rollers 57, which, with said rollers 51 52, serve to support the metal plateto be doubled upon the table. Suitable set-screws 58 may pass through the end of the table and bear against the ends of the springs 56 for the purpose of regulating the tension of the doubling-rollers 51 52.

The numerals 59 60 indicate, respectively, two gage-plates which are located at the ends of the table. Said gage-plates are provided at their ends with right-angled depending portions 61, provided on their inner faces with guide-grooves 62, which work over ribs 63 on the outer sides of the side members 2 3. At each opposite end thereof these gage-plates have a motion toward and from the doublingrollers and are operated by the following mechanism:

The numeral 64 indicates a trip-lever, which intermediate its ends is provided with a slot 65, in which slot passes a binding-screw 66, which engages in the rear face of the upright 7, by which means said trip-lever is adj ustably pivoted on said upright. At its inner end said trip-lever is provided with a slot 67.

The numeral 68 indicates a shaft which is journaled in the side members 2 3 of thetable, extending entirely across the table and projecting from either side thereof. At the side of the table adjacent to the upright 7 the shaft 68 projects a considerable distance from the side member 2 and on said projecting end is provided with a crank-arm 69. Alink 70 connects the free end of said crankarm 69 and the slotted end of the trip-lever 64. Secured on the shaft 68 at either side of the machine and adjacent to its side members are what I will term two crank-plates 71, which havea vertical projection above and below the shaft 68. Pivotally secured at one end to each projecting portion 61 of the gageplates 59 and 60 is a connecting-rod 72, which near their outer ends are provided with longitudinally-disposed slots 7 It will be understood that there are two connecting-rods 72 at each side of the machine, and the connecting-rods of each pair extend inward, respectively, above and below the shaft 68 and are adjustably secured to the projecting portions of the crank-plates 71 by set-screws 74, passing in said slots and engaging in said crank-plates. On the projecting inner end of each lower connecting-rod 71 is secured one end of a coiled spring 75, which at its opposite end is connected to the frame of the machine. Secured on the outer projecting end of the trip-lever 34 is a block 76, which is designed to contact with the free end of the trip-lever 64.

Secured on the upper portion of the side member 2 are two adjustable stops 77, against which the inner edges of the plates bear when placed upon the table. Secured on the 'upper side of each gage-plate 59 is a diverging guide 78, at the inner end of which is located a friction-roller 79, which tends to overcome friction of the guides in placing the plates upon the table. On the side member 3 are secured two downwardly-curved guide-fingers 80, which assist the operator in placing the plates upon the table and prevent the IIO ing the upright 40 or the creasing-blade 36 and assists, in conjunction with the fingers 80, in guiding the plates when placing them on the table. Said finger 81 difiers from the fingers 80, however, in having a vertical movement.

It is the purpose of the gage-plates 59 to insure that the metal plates shall be doubled in the center in the operation of the machine.

'The numeral 82 indicates a receiving-table for the doubled sheets, which is remoyably secured in an inclined position in slots 83 formed in the legs of the table, its inner end projecting inward when in position to a point near the end of the tilting platform 45, secured on the shaft 18. The outer end of said table has a stop 85.

The operation of the machine is as follows: The parts being in the position shown in Fig. 1, a metal plate to be doubled is placed upon the table 1, its opposite ends resting upon' the gage-plates 59 and bearing against or in close proximity to the friction-rollers 79. The pulley 9 being revolved the connecting-rod 16 raises the rack-bar 25, which operates through the pinion 19 to revolve the shaft 18 and lower the tilting platform 45. At the same time the small drive-wheel 27 is revolved, which operates through the medium of connecting-rod 29 and lever-arm 32 to lower the creasing-blade 36, said creasing-blade and tilting platform moving downward simultaneously. In the position in which the parts are shown in Fig. 1 the block 76 on lever-arm 32 is in contact with the free outer end of trip-lever 64, in which position the gage-plates 59 are held in their extreme outer position on the table against theresistance of the coiled springs 75. As the outer extended end 34 of the lever-arm rises in the movementabove described the block 76 is lifted from the triplever 64, and the springs 75, drawing on the connecting-rods 72, operate to move the gageplates inward, the crank-plates 71 being thereby rocked, and through the medium of the crank-arm 011 shaft 68 and the link 70, connecting said crank-arm with the trip-lever 64, said trip-lever will have its inner end depressed and its outer end elevated. In order to assist this movement of the trip-lever, I may suspend or otherwise secure on its inner end, adjacentto the point of connection with the link 70, a weight 84. As the creasingblade 36 descends it contacts with the upper surface of the metal plate (indicated by 86) and starts to press the same downward between the spring-pressed rollers 51 52. At the same time the gage-plates 59- move inward, and should the metal plate being doubled not reach exactly between the rollers 79-that is, be shorter than the distance between said 'rollersthe latter in moving inward will contact with one or the other edge of the metal plate and center the same upon the table. Furthermore, the rollers 79, pressing uniformly at both ends upon the metal plate, will assist the doubling operation by insuring that both ends of the metal plate shall move inward at the same time in the initial creasing of the plate, thereby tending to prevent slidingof the knife over the surface of the metal plate. The creasing-blade continuing to descend the metal plate is drawn. between the rollers 51 52 and doubled, as will be apparent. A complete downward movement of the creasing-blade is effected by a half-revolution of the pulley 9. As the pulley 9 continues to revolve the creasing-blade will begin to rise; but the tilting platform 45 will remain stationary for a slight interval of time owing to the fact that the crank-pin 15 will slide in the slot 17 of the connectingrod 16. This movement of the creasingblade in advance of the tilting platform is to facilitate the dropping of the doubled plate upon said platform. In the continued movement of the parts the creasing-blade is raised, the block 76 contacts with the outer end of trip lever 76 to restore the gage-plates 59 to their outer positions, and the free end of the tilting platform 45 is raised, whereby the doubled sheet will slide from said platform onto the receivingetable 82, as shown in Fig. 1.

In order to center the spring-pressed rollers 51 52 in relation to the creasing-blade, I may locate the upright 41 to extend between one set 'of bearing-blocks 53, and the section or continuation of the upright 40, secured in the side member 3, may also extend at its upper end between the opposite pair of blocks 53, whereby the rollers 51 52 cannot be pressed inward beyond a certain point.

By affording a slotted connection of the various connecting-rods and levers with the parts to which they are connected I provide for adjustment to vary the throw of said connecting-rods and levers, as will be clearly understood. 1 7

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. In a doubling-machine, a pair of creasing-rolls adapted to support the metal plate to be doubled and a vertically-reciprocating creasing-blade cooperating therewith and de signed to force the metal plate between said rolls whereby said plate is doubled, substantially as described.

2. In a doubling-machine, a pair of springpressed creasing-rolls, and a vertically-reciprocating creasing-blade designed to pass between said rolls, substantially as described.

In a doubling-machine, a pair of creasing-rolls, a vertically-reciprocating creasingblade cooperating therewith, and a swinging platform arranged beneath said rollers and actuated to receive and deliver the doubled plate, substantially as described.

4. In a doubling-machine, a table designed to support the metal plates to be doubled, creasing-rolls journaled in said table, a vertically-reci procatin g creasing-blade cooperating with said rolls, gage-plates slidably supported on either end of said table and means for drawing the gage-plates toward each other coincidently with the downward motion of the creasing-blade, substantially as described.

5. In a doubling-machine, a pair of creasing-rolls, a vertically-reciprocating creasingblade cooperating therewith, a tilting platform arranged beneath said rollers and designed to receive and deliver the doubled plates, and means for raising and lowering the free end of said platform in unison with the rise and fall of the creasing-blade, substantially as described.

6. In a doubling-machine, a table designed to support the metalplates to be doubled, creasing-rolls journaled in said table, a vertically-reciprocatin g creasing-blade cooperating with said rolls, a tilting platform arranged beneath said rollers, means for turning said platform to a lower inclined position coincidently with the fall of the creasing-blade to receive the doubled plate from said blade, means for turning said platform to an upper inclined position whereby to permit the doubled plate to slide from the rear end of said platform, and an inclined receiving-table located in the table in operative relation with said tilting platform, substantially as described.

7. In a doubling-machine, a pair of creasing-rolls, a vertically-reciprocating creasingblade cooperating therewith, a tilting platform arranged beneath said rollers and designed to receive and deliver the doubled plates, means for raising and lowering the free end of said platform in unison with the rise and fall of the creasing-blade, and means for imparting an upward movement to the creasingblade in advance of the upward movement of the tilting platform, substantially as described.

8. In a doubling-machine, a table designed to support the plate to be doubled and having grooves in its upper surface, spring-pressed slide-blocks located in said grooves, creasingrolls journaled at theirends in said blocks, stops to limit the inward movement of said blocks, and a vertically-reciprocating creasing-blade cooperating with said creasing-rollers, substantially as described.

9. In a doubling-machine, a table designed to support the metal plates to be doubled, creasing-rolls journaled in said table, a verti cally-reciprocatin g creasing-blade cooperating with said rolls, gage-plates slidably supported on either end of said table, guides on said gage-plates terminating in friction-rollers, and means for drawing the gage-plates toward each other coincidently with the down ward motion of the creasing-blade, substantially as described.

10. In a doubling-machine, a table designed to support the metal plates to be doubled, a

vertically-reciprocating creasing-blade, up-- rights affording guideways for said creasingblade, the outer upright being cut away to permit of the plates being placed on the table, downwardly-curved guide-fingers secured on the front of said table and an upwardlycurved guide-finger slidably supported on the lower end of said cut-away upright, substantially as described.

11. In a doubling-machine, a pair of creasing-rolls, a vertically-reciprocating creasingblade cooperating therewith, a swinging platform arranged beneath said rollers and actuated to receive and deliver the doubled plate, and a catch-plate carried by the outer free end of said platform, substantially as described.

12. In a doubling-machine, a table designed to support the metal plates to be doubled, a shaft journaled in said table carrying a tilting platform, and having secured thereon a pinion, a rack-bar for operating said pinion, a drive-pulley having a crank-pin, a vertically-movable creasing-blade, means operatively connecting said creasing-blade and drive-pulley, and a connecting-rod pivotally connected at one end to said rack-bar and at its opposite end having a slotted connection with the crank-pin on the drive-pulley, substantially as described.

13. In a doubling-machine, a table designed to support the metal plates to be doubled, a shaft journaled in said table carrying a tilting platform and having secured thereon a pinion, a rack-bar for operating said pinion, a drive-pulley having an adjustable crankpin, a vertically-movable creasing-blade, means operatively connecting said creasing blade and drive-pulley, and a connecting-rod pivotally connected at one end to said rackbar and at its opposite end having a slotted connection with the crank-pin on the drivepulley, substantially as described.

14. In a doubling-machine, a table designed to support the metal plates to be doubled, gageplates slidably supported on said table, a shaft journaled in said table carrying crankplates, a pair of connecting-rods at either side of the table having, respectively, their outer ends connected to said gage plates and their inner ends connected to opposite sides of said crank-plates, coiled springs each of which is connected at one end to the table and at its other end to one connecting-rod of each pair, and means for turning said shaft against the resistance of said springs, substantially as described.

15. In a doubling-machine, a table designed to support the metal plates to be doubled, gage-plates slidably supported on said table, a shaft journaled in said tablecarrying crankplates and having a crank-arm, a pair of connecting-rods at either side of the table having respectively, their outer ends connected to said gage-plates and their inner ends connected to opposite sides of said crank-plates, coiled springs, each of which is connected at one end to the table and at its other end to one connecting-rod of each pair, a trip-lever having an outer free end and an inner end pivotally connected by a link with the crankarm of said shaft, a vertically-movable creasing-blade, a leverar1n connected at one end to said creasing-blade and having an outer free end adapted to contact with the outer end of said trip-lever, and means for operating said lever-arm, substantially as described. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FELIX WESTWOOD. Witnesses:

GEORGE T. KAVANAGH, CHAs. MARX. 

